How Many Gods Created the World and Rabbi Simlai Reads the Grammar

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 33:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"For He is a holy God" (Joshua 24:19). The heretics asked Rabbi Simlai: How many divine powers created the world? He said to them: I and you, let us ask the Torah. "For ask now of the former days that were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth" (Deuteronomy 4:32)—it is not written here "since the day they created [bar'u] man," but "since the day He created [bara] man." They said to him: But it is written, "For what great nation is there that has a God [elohim] near to it" (Deuteronomy 4:7)—here are two powers! He said to them: Read the end of the verse: "like the LORD our God whenever we call upon Him" (Deuteronomy 4:7) [the verb is singular].

Themes

CreationDivine JusticeTorah

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